Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-10-27

coroner Stanton IN Judge ToohY'S Court
room. Among the spectators were several
ladies'
The first witness called was Mrs. High
son. the proprietor of the clearinghouse
where the dead body of Benhayon was
found Sunday. Coroner Stanton read to
her the evidence given by her last evening.
and she testified that the same was correct.
and attached her signature thereto. The
reading of the testimony occupied over half
an hour.
4. Lowenstein testified that on last
Wednesday he was told by Benhavon,
whom he knew, that he had secured a
room at y Geary street through a friend,
and had paid So on it and secured the kew.
He told his friend that he had made SO bv
copying for some person, and had thus been
able 10 pay for the room. He last saw
Benhayon at supper on Friday night.
Lowenstein did not learn the name of the
friend for whom Benbayon was going to
pay the deposit of IS for the room. He
thought BenhayOn talked as one who did
not care whether he lived or not, as he
seemed to be shiftless, careless sort of q
fellow.
MRS. HIGHsoN CREATES A SENSATION.
Henry Ellis, a book-keeper, was next
called, when. to the surprise of all those
present. Mrs. Highson, with apparent great
excitement, rushed forward and cried,
" Detective Hogan, that man Lowenstein,
who has just left the stand, is No. ., the
man who called at my house to engage the
room"
l.owenstein was stopped by the officers
and kept in the Courtroom.
Ellis went on to tell that he was pretty
well acquainted with Benhayon and the
latter had never spoken of suicide Wit
ness was shown the confession " letter.
He said the handwriting resembled Ben
hayon's but the letters, he thought. were
too even.. The letters addressed to the
newspapers and to Bowers, he thought,
were not written by the deceased.
LowENsTEIN EXPLAINS.
Lowenstein, upon being recalled. stated
that he was up at % Geary street last We'd
nesday evening with a gentleman who
lived at 500 Geary street, whom he was
showing about the town. They intended
to call on some girls who roomed there. he
added. They left soon after calling and
visited other places. When Mrs. Highson
stepped forward witness said he did not see
her at the clearinghouse when lie and his
friend called to see the girls" While
Lowerstein was testifying he was very ner-
vous. His hands ran up and down the
" =" A1 va 40" Ni1i4' L many CdIHe lne QtleS-
ton:
DO you remember seeing Mrs. Highson
at % Geary street,"
No, sir," was the prompt reply.
Coroner Stanton-"Mrs. Highson, will
you please step forward?"
Mrs. Highson stepped forward from the
lobby and stood within four feet of the wit
ness, and looked at him closely. Lowen-
stein looked up, bat as soon as his ewes
met hers they dropped suddenly.
Coroner Stanton again asked, Cant YOU
recall her features ~
The witness answered firmly, mo, sir l
never saw her before"
MRS. HIGHsoN FAINTs.
The Coroner told Mrs. Highson she
might be seated. She turned round with a
sigh and walked back to seat, this time a
little nearer to the witness than she was
formerly. She sat for a moment intently
gazing at the witness, when suddenly she
exclaimed, In weak voice, That's
the man that's the man ~ Then her
head dropped over, and the attorney sitting
next TO her, realizing that she had tainted.
held her head and a Deputy Coroner cot
some water. Then she was taken out of
the room.
The scene had very peculiar effect on
Lowenstein. He got more nervous than
ever. His eyes, which were becoming
watery, began to twitch nervously, and his
speech became more jerky. After remain
ing out of the room for five minutes Mrs.
Highson was restored to consciousness and
returned to the room with an officer.
THE MYSTERIOUS FRIEND"
Continuing, the witness stated that he
did not have any conversation with any
one in the clearinghouse when be and his
friend called. He did not know where the
gentleman now was. Il used to board at
sol Geary street, and Henry Benhayon in
trOduced him to witness. He did not
know his name.
Lowenstein went on when and nv
friend called at the place that night we
went to front room, where | knew the
girls were stopping, and knocked but as
there was no light in the place we left"
THE WITNESS IN A TIGHT PLACE.
Lowenstein admitted that he used to
wear a full beard but at his aunts sugges-
ton he had it shaved off last Wednesday
evening before going to % Geary street. He
now has only mustache. He only knew
the friend who accompanied him to the
house few days. He could not give the
names of the girls. He met one of them
in the store where he works, when she
L
denied that he had been in the Geary street
house since last Wednesday.
Mrs. Highson was recalled, and said "I
positively identify this man Lowensten as
the person who gave me the So, and to
whom | gave the key last Tuesday, except
that his beard is now shaved off. | am
sure that he is the man."
Lowenstein, in answer to questions, said ::
Last week told what have now said to
my employer. He said it was not worth
while for me to mention it to the authori-
ties, but when Captain Lees called upon
me to-day, by request, related to him the
facts. know Tillie Benhayon, the mother,
and the father somewhat"
LowENsTErN AND DINING ARRESTED.
At the conclusion of Lowenstein's testi-
mOny he was taken into custody. John
Dimmig was also arrested.
THE CASE IN A NEW LIGHT.
It is stated that, in view of the expose
made this afternoon, the case will not be
submitted to the jury until the confession
and letters purpOrting to have been written
by Benhayon are examined by experts.
SOMETHING ABOUT THE STRANGER.
When the evening session commenced
the room was more crowded than at any
previous uIne, owing 10 the startling de-
yelopments of the afternoon.
Louis Stein, waiter at 501 Geary street,
where Lowenstein claimed 10 have met a
stranger and shown him about town on
Wednesday night, testified that such a
stranger was stopping at the house at the
time, and that Lowenstein was acquainted
with him, but not intimately.
Mrs. S. Rietz, proprietress of the board
ing-house at sol Geary street, testified to
the fact that the stranger said to be from
Milwaukee, who Lowenstein said he was
with on Wednesday when he called at %
Geary street. 10 see some girls, was stop
ping at her house on the day mentioned.
1t was learned that the strangers name
was Hoya, and that he was introduced to
Lowenstein at the Rietzke House. Wit
ness knew Benhayon for seven years. He
was regular in his habits, and had never.
to her knowledge, remained away from
hone over night. Lowenstein told witness
on Monday last, when Benhavon's death
was made known, that the suicide must
have occurred in private room on Geary
street, where Benhayon did some writing.
Hoya left her house yesterday, for what
place she did not know. He had received
package of money by Wells, Fargo dG Co. s
express while at her house.
DIR Schwartysohjld tha 6aotist tect;6od